Ok, I’m a huge fan of Pixar. I own every one of their movies. And maybe it has to do with the fact that I have kids, but I even love how schmaltzy the stories are.
This time, however, I didn’t come away raving like I did for Nemo and the Incredibles. I came away from this movie feeling about like I did after A Bug’s Life. I loved the overall concept and animation. But, I felt the characters and situations, as a whole, felt forced and sappy. I truly believe that the gimmick superceded the storytelling.
Now, don’t get me wrong. There’s a lot to love in this film, especially if you’re even somewhat of a car fan and like a good dose of Americana. You can tell a lot of research went into this film. From the classic references to racing and the meticulous design of each car, to the wide open landscapes and variety within the car “cities” you really get a feeling that this world was pretty fleshed-out.
That’s why I hated to see such middle-of-the-road performances from the cast. Maybe they just weren’t given much to work with, but I really expected better. The exception here was Paul Newman. Such a nuanced performance! And the animator(s) who caught every expression in that chrome bumper and the windshield eyes cannot be commended enough. Incredible stuff. And I must say I didn’t hate Larry the Cable Guy as much as I thought I would. Sure, it was an extension of his regular schtick and there really wasn’t too much to his character, but the character design and that big, buck-toothed grin made up for a lot.
The last thing that bugged me, I also thought that the music was uneven in parts. Perhaps there were a few too many pop songs, but I felt that Randy Newman’s score just didn’t quite hold up the whole time.
Overall, I loved the concept, the animation and the general feel of the movie. I didn’t like some of the characterization and the uneven music. But, I must say that this is still a great film and a worthy entry in the Pixar line-up.